Day 12 - Fort Louisbourg

Today was a fabulous day.  We went back to Fort Louisbourg and spent over 4 hours there, after our time there yesterday as well.


The big difference was that today there were many staff in action - dressed in the clothes of the period and acting in their roles. We chatted to maids, soldiers, waitresses, innkeepers, bakers and gardeners and each time we were entertained and educated and enthralled.


Fort Louisbourg was a fortified town, and was the centre of the cod trade, and also a stopover for trading ships coming and going from Martinique and France, until it was eventually taken by the British, who destroyed it.


It lay in ruins until the 1960's, when the decline on the local coal mining industry led the government to invest millions in the reconstruction of 20% of the original town and fort.  In itself this is fascinating, as all construction was done with historical accuracy.


The highlights? Lunch at an inn, complete with pewter utensils and 18th century food (including rum punch for John and I - Mary Poppins would be impressed!), the canon firing, and the stories told to us by all of the villagers.  We were all moved by the hardships the people would have endured, including a life expectancy of 45 years, kids working from 7 years of age, and the pay and conditions of the ordinary soldiers.

It was a fantastic experience for all of us, highly recommended!